Massive layoffs in the technology sector in America have resulted in Indian professionals being jobless, two Indian- American organizations have launched an online petition to extend the grace period.
The period extension of up to a year means that once fired from a job, a foreign tech worker on H-1B visas would have one year of the time period to find a new job instead of the existing duration of 60 days. Accordingly, if not able to find a new job in the time frame, they would have to leave the country. The tech sector for America is dependent on employees as they hire thousands of employees each year from different countries, especially from India and China.
Around 91,000 were laid off just in January 2023 and this number may grow in the coming months. This has a huge impact on the employees as well as their families, especially on the H-1B holders who would need to leave the US immediately within 10 days beyond the H-1B grace period, says the petition.
In addition to the impact on them and their families, this also is a long-term impact on the talent that the US has. For example, 70 percent of startup founders are immigrants. About 50 CEOs of public companies are of Indian origin. Hence, the maximum of this talent from the US is harmful to the long-term interests of the United States, especially in the modern age of Artificial Intelligence competition, it said.
“On behalf of immigrants (from the world, mainly from India and China) as well as naturalized citizens like Indian-Americans, Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies and Global Technology Professionals Association (GITPRO) has submitted an appeal to the President of the United States, the Secretary of DHS (Department of Homeland Security) and the Director of USCIS (US Citizenship and Immigration Services) to extend the current grace period from 60 days to 1 year (minimum 6 months),” states the online petition.
The petition is yet to be accepted by The President of the USA, Joe Biden.
Around the same time, some of the Facebook groups of overseas Indians have launched a petition urging the Indian Government to hire the laid-off Indian tech workers in the US.
“We join the appeal and request to sympathetically consider the impact of the families on humanitarian grounds. We believe that this extension will pause this brain drain and ensure that the US will continue to be a world leader in technology and innovation. We also request elected officials to support this extension and if needed introduce a bill in the House of Representatives,” states the online petition that has been signed by more than 2,200 people.
“The laid-off H-1B holders currently have about 60 days to find another employer to file for the H-1B transfer or leave the country. During the current economic situation, it would be impossible for these hardworking, tax-paying and talented people to get hired till the economy recovers,” states the petition.
“Considering the ongoing layoff situation, we are requesting you to consider hiring the recently laid-off and returning Indian IT workers as consultants as part of the digitisation initiatives undertaken by your ministries,” said the letter addressed to Ashwini Vaishnav, the Minister of Electronics and Information Technology.
The Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIDS) has also stated about the same that “With massive layoffs in the tech industry, January 2023 has been brutal for tech professionals. Many talented folks lost jobs. As the tech industry is dominated by Indian immigrants, they are highest among the impacted. The laid off H1- B holders need to find an H-1B sponsoring job in 60 days or leave within 10 days after becoming out of status.
